'Quake-proof' centres in flood-prone Kosi belt

The Bihar government would construct ‘earthquake-resistant´ community centres at each of the panchayats in flood-prone Purnia, Saharsa, Supaul, Saharsa and Madhepura districts in Kosi belt, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday.

These community centres would be used for sheltering the victims of natural clamities in future, Kumar said while inaugurating an international conference on ‘livestock disaster management before and after floods´ in Patna.

Cattle sheds would also be raised, adjacent to the centres, where sufficient fodder and water would be stored for animals, the chief minister said.

He said a sum of Rs 50 lakh was estimated to be spent on constructing each of the quake-proof community centres.

Altogether Rs 100 crore would be spent from the CM’s Calamity Relief Fund for the purpose.

“The state officials have taken up with the National Disaster Management Authority the issue relating to allocation of additional funds for the purpose”, he said.

Seismic experts would be involved in the exercise of setting up the community centres and the work would begin soon.